cozy vilnius

 Cozy Vilnius

I have been told that once Lithuania was liberated from the communist occupation, the first people to franchise their businesses are now quite wealthy.  I imagine the person who owns Double Coffee is one of these wealthy citizens.  Double Coffee is a chain diner/café that you can find on any street in Vilnius.  It is good, reliable and cheap food and drink plus they serve breakfast all day long, which is a rare find.  And they offer free ‘internetus’.  There are several of these types of restaurants in Vilnius, because if it were void of chain restaurants the tourists would starve to death in the streets with their fanny packs full of unused litas and we’d have an international melt-down. 

 These 3 pizza joints are within 100 ft of each other on Gedimino Pr., seriously!

'Kaimas' means 'country'

Besides several chains of mediocre to crappy pizza restaurants (‘Cili Pica’, ‘Pizza Jazz’, ‘Mambo Pizza’, ‘Can-Can Pizza’, et al), there is a family-style restaurant called ‘Kaimas’, which means ‘country’.  Of course, they serve the traditional dishes and some poorly made international dishes as well, all for low price.  The main draw for this chain is the caged rooster (for that authentic country feel) and the servers’ uniforms (medival bar wench).  One place at the other end of the spectrum that is not a franchise (but should consider becoming so) is ‘Guru’, which serves beautiful and tasty salads and healthy yogurt drinks for the equivalent of around $ 8-10 (USD).  The décor is hip and clean and the menu is tourist-friendly. 

 

Outside of the chains you will find a wealth of privately owned ‘baras’, ‘kavines’ and ‘restoranas’ that serve a range of dishes to varied crowds.  I would estimate that you have a 7 out of 10 chance of randomly walking into a decent place with a nice atmosphere and reliable food.  What I have not seen much of is specifically international restaurants.  There are several Italian style restoranas, but I have only seen one Indian place and no Chinese take-out.  (addendum – found a Chinese restoranus, no take-out, and a Mexican place just opened near the convent, owned and run by ‘Real Mexicans’…it’s not bad, tried it, could be the eastern European lovechild of Rosa Mexicano and Jose Tejas)

 

One of the more upscale restoranas, ‘Cozy’, is owned by a Dutch-Lithuanian, and comes with high accolades from me.  I celebrated my 34^th birthday here – it wasn’t my first time there and certainly won’t be my last.  The seating reflects the name of the restoranas, with velour banquets and high, sturdy tables.  The food is totally international and very well made and fresh.  The sandwiches are great, as are the entrees.  The atmosphere reminds me of an eastern European version of a hip, new NYC hotspot: subtle beats in the background, soft lighting, beautiful diners and young, artsy wait-staff.  My party went on almost 3 hours and consisted of 8 guests drinking wine, beer, champagne and vodka.  The event was topped off with a lovely cherry and chocolate cake (not provided by Cozy) and the Lithuanian version of ‘Happy Birthday’.  All of this cost around $250 (USD).  You just can’t beat that!

(even the ladies' toilets are cozy)

‘Cozy’ is located at Dominiku Gatve 10, at the intersection of Sv. Ignato Gatve.  Reservations required for large parties.

 

the akropolis

(photos to come...)

America is a mall culture, and in some lesser fortunate areas it is strip mall culture.  Didn’t we invent, or at least perfect the concept of 'mall'? 

The Akropolis is a valiant post-communist attempt at super-consumerism.  This mall, situated on the outskirts of the city (and adjacent to an abandoned stadium construction site), sits on a hill overlooking Vilnius.  You can literally buy everything here, and while you’re shopping you can choose from 3 different ice cream shops and 5 different pizza chains for snacks.  Once you’re full of dough and sugar (and beer!) you can rent a pair of skates and go for a few laps around the ice rink.  After you’ve exhausted yourself from that, you can get a $20 (USD) manicure, and pay for ten minutes on a machine that soothingly jiggles your butt right on the promenade for all to see.  Santa should consider stopping here with his sleigh and elves in the weeks before Christmas (like he does for us in the States) so that all the little boys and girls of Vilnius can sit on his lap and recite their wish lists in his ear.  I’d love to hear those wish lists, myself.

While they meet our overzealous American need to attract shoppers and part them with their hard earned beans they don’t come close in terms of offering quality and bargains.  Imported clothing costs a fortune, and most ‘high-fashion’  clothing is imported, if even from somewhere else in Europe.  Most items from other nearby countries like Belarus and Russia are usually poorly made.  If it isn’t a brand from the USA or Western Europe (France, Italy, UK, etc) it’s likely hoochie gear from the early 90’s, and will quickly fall apart. 

 

The big supermarket chain here is called Maxima, and there is a big one at the Akropolis.  Take your average American A&P or Shop-Rite, take away the mod interior décor and the organic section and you basically have a Maxima.  At the larger stores you can find a huge selection of everything from sausage to breakfast cereals (but don’t expect to find too many familiar brands).  If you’re a little anal about reading labels (like myself), good luck!  Unless you know the language you’ll be lost.  If you’re lucky you’ll find your honey-nut Cheerios and your Dannon yogurt but your comfort zone won’t extend much farther than that.  Most labels come in 3 languages: Lithuanian, Russian and either Latvian or German.  I find that most of the food looks all right.  The fish dept is particularly stinky but the array of meats and breads makes up for that and Maxima always has a fair assortment of reasonably priced, fresh, prepared foods as well.  One thing to remember about Lithuanian food: MAYONAISE.  Get used to it.

mayonnaise gets its own AISLE...

 

Certain things are harder to find like A/V equipment and hardware.  There is no B&H or Circuit City so if you forgot your cables you may be shit out of luck.  Baby clothing/food/gear are lower quality than we are accustomed to in the States.  The trend of BPA-free, organic, free-range babies has yet to hit Lithuania.  In fact, it might be light years away.  There is a great baby store, and stores for electronics and appliances in the Akropolis where you can find just about any relevant item, just be prepared to be flexible. 

 

There is a pharmacy (vaistine) and the attendants are referred to as ‘consultants’.  They hang around the aisles and answer questions about the various health and beauty products or they will help you find the right ointment/hair goop/skin toner/vitamins that you need.  Cashiers will fill prescriptions for you as well.  I noticed drawers full of meds behind the register, and being from a country where meds are kept locked away, I was shocked.  Can’t help but feel this would never work back home.  We are too emotionally repressed and dependent as a culture to trust the general public with our drugs.  Yet we are renowned around the world for our rampant subculture of illegal drug abuse.  Go figure.

 

One very American thing about this mall is that it’s open from 8am until 11pm every day.  

the road to druskininkai

grave

angel in cemetary

fountain

ledai (ice cream)

Outside of Vilnius is a lush, green time warp.  Trees stretch their topmost branches so high it strains the neck to look.  The local flora is, for the most part, unkempt.  There are some treeless patches of land that seem a bit unnatural, and I am told it is this way because of soviet abuses of the land.  Many patches of forest were chopped down and sent back to Russia for lumber.  Despite this, Lithuania remains a dense forest country.  Driving out to the country we pass tiny shanty-towns and farmlands in varying states of neglect.  Some homes seem to be held together by used band-aids and chewed bubblegum.  My first car, a tri-colored ‘86 Buick Century with unmatched quarter-panel and fender, was far more presentable than some of these homes.  We occasionally see people outside carrying logs, or tending to fields (more scarf-headed old ladies, or shirtless young men in dirty jeans).  It seems so destitute…until I notice that there actually are some nice houses nestled into these impoverished little villages. 

 

It is bizarre!  We see clusters of decayed wooden shacks maybe half a km from the highway, with one or two random, freshly painted two-story family homes prominently popping out of the mire.  How do they all co-exist?  It has been suggested to me that it is a cultural variance.  Americans are extremely classist.  Carmela Soprano proves this accusation to be substantial.  Lithuanian culture, at least the old world Lithuanians, place less value in vanity and more in consistency.  Maybe the people in the shacks are gnarled toothless old men and scarf-headed old frumps aging and decaying with and within the walls of their homes.  Maybe they are meant to die where they have lived, and soon after their children or grandchildren can raze the dilapidated shacks and build sturdy new homes to run-down over the course of a lifetime.  I know it sounds so lame on the surface, but if you consider the strong pagan attachment these people maintain with the land it’s quite romantic.  And it makes sense. 

 

We pass many of these rough villages, some are big and some are just a cluster of a few houses.  We see some fat cows munching on grass on the side of the road every now and then.  They appear very healthy.  Every dozen or so km we pass people selling fresh picked berries or watermelon on the side of the road.  Sometimes these fruits come straight from the forest where they grow wild.  We didn’t stop for any because we were in a rush to catch up with another party almost 2 hours ahead of us.  I regret not stopping!  Just writing about them now makes me wonder how sweet and juicy they must have been.  We’ll have another chance soon, and next time I will NOT hesitate!

 

We finally arrive at Druskininkai about 2.5 hours later.  Druskininkai is a resort town gathered around a lake that is fabled to have mystical healing powers.  We see disabled children in wheelchairs everywhere.  There is also an indoor water park here.  Lithuania is freezing and dark for most of the year so I imagine this park is a major draw all year long.  There are hotels everywhere, and some small Victorian-ish beach-type houses here and there.  My guess is that real estate here is through the roof for local standards.  Driving through some of the residential streets I am reminded of Peter Jackson’s Shire in ‘Lord of the Rings.  Seriously.  And the homes, as well as the properties they sit on, are small.  I’m surprised at this because the average Lithuanian is so big and tall!  I guess they don’t need much space to feel comfortable. 

 

The lake is beautiful and the park around it is well preserved.  We find a cemetery just over the lake and we notice there are all sorts of names here: Russian, Polish, Lithuanian, German…apparently this part of Lithuania has not always been a part of Lithuania.  In fact, most of the country’s borders have evolved and devolved greatly throughout the last 2000 years.  They’ve got a lot of good fight in them, these people.

 

The less residential, more hotel/touristy areas are less than manicured, although the effort is definitely present.  We see more of the decayed soviet style architecture and some walkways that look like they’ve survived the apocalypse.  The flowerbeds have been tended to but that must be all the city paid for.  Or perhaps that’s all the seasons allow considering the country is bathed in freezing rain and snow and darkness for most of the year.  Or perhaps outdoor maintenance here is a battle clearly overcome by the elements. 

 

Unfortunately, we did not explore the water park.  Another regret!  From the looks of it I imagine it must be ridiculous fun.  

arrivals

Vilniaus Gatve

Dominiku Gatve

somewhere in Senamiestis (old town)

Vilnius airport is a cross between a high school cafeteria and the aerospace museum in DC. It is small. It is spare. It is a redecorated Soviet era facility in appearance even if it was built long after the occupation ended. As I waited for our luggage on the carousel with the handful of other tourists and natives and relatives, I noticed the sullen faced security people watching us gather our many pieces. We are here to stay for a very long time. Not visa long, but long. They watched us and passively asked a few questions and then we walked right out the door. Didn't even need our passports!

Outside the air was unexpectedly chilly and thick with cigarette smoke. Are you surprised smoking is still fashionable in post communist Eastern Europe? Could it possibly happen any other way? We packed for summer and now I'm feeling that twist in my gut, the 'I told you so' feeling, meaning I knew this was going to suck and I've completely idealized the shit out of this trip. Weather dot com can eat me.

The drive into Vilnius proper is short and we pass through some parts of town that still scream of Soviet era. The boxy, grey buildings with laundry lines full of grey hued clothing hang off every terrace. I imagine it this way 20+ years ago. Squat, bulky old ladies with scarves on their heads tote around groceries while ashen, toothless men amble down the street. It's a Saturday. Maybe it's a vodka swagger?

I felt this way last time I was here - desperate to turn around immediately. This ride leaves me feeling like anyone who wants to live here is either suicidal, dumb or strung out. The air is thick and bitter. It suffocates you even with all the windows rolled up tight.

But it changes.

Once you get into the heart of Vilnius you see cobble stone streets, ancient architecture and colorfully dressed students. Ah, Europe! I knew I'd find you here! Vilnius is very old. I think maybe it feels even older than Paris in some sections.( I've never been to Rome but I imagine it would feel oldest of all European cities). Vilnius is beautiful in it's own unique way. The Soviet fiasco is always here whether it taints the picture perfect streets with it's neglected grey drab coloring or with it's one lonely box building on a precious street of classical renovations. It's always lurking. Always sneaking past the filter to remind you of it's frightening power.

At one time I think these streets were empty and dark. Now they are filled with tourists and brightly colored umbrellas proudly naming local beers while people sit idly drinking them at sidewalk tables beneath. Shops beckon you in to peruse the local amber jewelry and euro fashions. And it's very familiar in some places. You can buy from Puma and Zara and Apple as if it were NYC. Consumerist comfort. Bet they didn't have that back in the 80's.

We are staying in the guest houses at the city convent. I love this because lithuania was the very last country in europe to accept Jesus Christ as it's lord and savior. These people were infamously belligerent heathens for centuries. They severed missionaries' heads and returned them without their bodies. They told the pope to sit and spin. They continued worshipping their pagan gods well into the dark ages and they were constantly battling their christian neighbors. It's all quite macho and badass and I'd be lying If I said it didn't turn me on a little.

The irony is that these people would eventually lose their right to even be reluctant Christians during the Soviet occupation. There is a theme of crosses, mostly wooden and not always bearing a stigmatafied Jesus, all over the city and the country. Not Latin style crosses with intricate designs and carved features but austere dark wooden crosses. I can picture the scarved old ladies dragging them home on their gnarled shoulders along with their groceries.

Yet there remains a distinct loyalty to the native gods. They still celebrate the equinox in this country as they did many centuries ago. And the days don't end this time of year. It is the first week of June and true night doesn't fall until well after 1am. Twilight goes on for hours while the sky's seductive palette teases us with nightfall. Takes some getting used to but it's exciting to experience it.